By Ted Belman
in my article What should “Zionism†mean? I commented on a piece by Ami Isseroff “Zionism: they stole our movement”.
Today, I asked Ami What is left of the “Zionism” as he thinks of it. He replied,
Zionism is to make of the Jews a “normal” nation in a secular nation state.
That includes:– Return to the land of Israel (we are still waiting for Americans and others…).
– Return to the land as farmers. (not so relevant in 21st century)
– Jewish workers
– secular nation (got a problem there with religion)Zionism cannot be about “god’s chosen people” etc. because then it is not about creating a nation state like all others. That was the theft.
To which I replied,
Thanks. That’s it in a nutshell.
Is Israel to be a state like any other state (original Zionism) or a Jewish state (religious Zionism)?
Or perhaps a hybrid?
Put another way, “Democratic or Jewish or a hybrid”
Now Midstream Magazine published Some Basic Issues of the Zionist/Post-Zionist Controversy by Yoav Gelber
From its beginning, Zionism has provoked various adversaries whose common denominator was their objection to Jewish nationalism or, at least, to its linkage with the Land of Israel. Orthodox and liberal Jews regarded Zionism as a panicked response to anti-semitism, imitation of European nationalism and distortion of Judaism’s true essence and image. Marxists claimed it was reactionary and endangered “the world of tomorrow†in which the Jews, too, would find their proper place. The opposition that accompanied Zionism was mainly a trend of the exile.
He obviously has a lot more to say on the subject.
